


Daemons and Their Cultural Roles: a Brief Starfleet Primer

by otterzest



Series: All These Abandoned Buildings [2]
Category: His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Gen, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:21:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23125414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otterzest/pseuds/otterzest
Summary: A brief review of daemons and their roles in Starfleet operations. To act as a reference document for both the new recruit, and seasoned Federation officers.Key words: daemons, daemonic races, two-bodied races, Rusakov particle, xenosociology, non-daemonic races, single-bodied races, Starfleet protocols, First Contact protocols
Series: All These Abandoned Buildings [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662244
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	Daemons and Their Cultural Roles: a Brief Starfleet Primer

The daemon phenomena has been observed and identified in several humanoid races throughout the Alpha Quadrant (footnote: see Appendix 1 for a complete list of all races known to demonstrate the manifestation of daemons). Although the cultural significance of a person’s daemon varies from race to race, and often within subcultures of one race, strong similarities can be seen across a wide variety of these daemonic cultures. When engaging with persons from Earth, Bajor, Betazed, or any other planet with daemonic dominant life-forms it is critical to understand and abide by cultural norms surrounding daemons, regardless if the Starfleet Officers involved themselves belong to single-bodied or non-daemonic races. 

The following summary is a simplified review of general daemon physiology, cultural contexts, and social significance. Starfleet officers are urged to research any specific daemonic races with which they may interact, and identify the specific cultural nuances surrounding daemons that distinguish that race from other daemon-having races. The principles outlined in this summary should serve as a rough guide for any daemonic race, and if First Contact is initiated with a previously undiscovered daemonic race, the SOPs presented in this primer should be followed until more specific sociological daemon information can be obtained. 

Daemons and daemon-having races are just one of the millions of facets that make Federation diversity so beautiful. Any Federation Officers belonging to non-daemonic races (and even those with daemons, but unfamiliar with daemons outside of their own cultural heritage) should carefully read the following article to gain a better understanding of what daemons are and how they function in a humanoid society. 

**The physical structure of daemons and their manifestations**

The definition of a “daemon” varies greatly across cultural contexts, but in general it is agreed upon that a daemon may be described as one half of a two-bodied humanoid entity that relies upon the neurochemistry and electricity generated by the humanoid brain to exist and function. Daemons occur in many forms, but the vast majority of daemons recorded have taken on the shapes of non-humanoid animals. In young humanoid children, daemons have a flexible form capable of transforming into many different shapes, but most settle into a single static form at the beginning of puberty, and stay that way until their associated humanoid body dies. For most daemonic species the physical form of a daemon is made up of an anthropogenic basic particle called the Rusakov particle. Regardless of structure the Rusakov particles that make up a daemon’s body generally function the same for all daemonic races: they are generated by the higher functions of the prefrontal cortex of the humanoid brain. For the purposes of this summary, a daemon may be thought of as a dense collection of Rusakov particles, in much the same way that organic life may be thought of as a dense collection of carbon-based molecules.

Rusakov particles are known to exist in two physical states: solid-state (s-state) and dust-state (d-state). D-state is the first form that a daemon manifests as its associated Humanoid develops as an infant, and s-state particles are found once a daemon has developed to the point of recognizable physical manifestation. A d-state daemon, once developed to the point of observation to the naked eye, appears as a glittering haze or shimmer of Rusakov particles. This cloud of particles condenses around the infant humanoid, until the volume of particles causes the daemon to develop solid mass and begin to take on solid forms. Conversely, a previously s-state daemon will transition into d-state as it and its humanoid cease life functions at death.  
Anecdotal evidence, and behavioral studies of Humans and Bajorans, have shown that daemonic children are born without a physical daemon manifestation, and one does not appear until the infant’s brain has developed rudimentary self-awareness. Even once the brain does begin to generate Rusakov particles, a fully-formed corporeal daemon is often not created until the infant has begun to walk on their own. As the infant begins to develop self awareness the particles may manifest as a glimmering haze or mist around the child, eventually coalescing into a complete animal form as it transitions from d-state to s-state. Daemon developmental stages have been catalogued for several humanoid species, and major milestones are described in Table 3. 

The age at which significant Rusakov particle generation begins varies from race to race, and depends on species and individual-specific rates of neurological development. Correlation between the development of self-awareness and increasing Rusakov particle concentration has been noted in several humanoid species, and studies conducted on infant humans have shown that rapid Rusakov particle generation (rRPg) frequently occurs in tandem with a young child recognizing itself in a mirror reflection (Rochat 2003). Recognition of the self as a discrete entity appears to correlate with an increase in rRPg, and the rate of rRPg climbs steadily until the daemon settles into a single stable form. After the daemon settles, the young adult’s brain continues to generate Rusakov particles until the brain is completely developed, at which the rate of particle generation drops off significantly. 

The actual physical workings of Rusakov particles are still somewhat mysterious. Studies have shown that, in humans, the particles act as adjacent neurotransmitters, facilitating faster neural communication in the brain. However this does not explain how daemons manifest outside of the humanoid body. Current theory suggests that the interaction of Rusakov particles with certain varieties of low-wavelength radiation may be responsible for their appearance, but astrophysical-chemical daemonism is a relatively new field and Federation understanding of the interactions between Rusakov particles and the organic atoms of the brain is limited. 

The physical functionality of a daemons form is likewise poorly understood. Studies conducted on the daemons of young Humanoids have shown the daemons’ shapeshifting abilities are more than cosmetic; testing has shown that, as a daemon changes from a large animal form to a small one, physical parameters such as mass, density and weight distribution also change. Gross anatomy observations have shown that physical structures in a daemon’s body move as they do in non-daemonic single-bodied creatures and beings. Palpation of a daemon’s external form reveals what appears to be the presence of structural elements like bone and muscle beneath the skin, but dissection or necropsy cannot be conducted on a daemon’s body, so it cannot be determined for sure. The moment a piece of a daemon’s body is cut off from the rest - be it feathers, fur, teeth, nails or - as documented in several unsettling accounts - entire limbs, the piece dissolves into d-state Rusakov particles, which quickly disintegrate into nothing. This makes traditional microscopy of daemonic matter challenging, but it is currently believed that daemon bodies are multicellular in nature.

Current research is looking into methods of preserving living daemon cells for further study outside of the daemon body. 

The physical wellness of a daemon depends on the mental state of its accompanying humanoid. Injurious thoughts and mental patterns can stress a daemon’s physical appearance, causing scarring, integumentary loss, and other appearances of physical trauma. Likewise, physical damage to a daemon’s form can cause psychological issues to manifest in the mind of their associated humanoid. Studies conducted on humanoids liberated from labor camps and other stressful environments have shown that physical injury to daemon form is associated with the development of psychological disorders such as PTSD. 

How a daemon interacts with its primary humanoid body depends on specific cultural contexts, but most daemonic races share similar limitations and basic functions. As a general rule, the two bodies of a daemonic humanoid cannot be separated more than 2 or 3 meters. Separation beyond this point is profoundly painful to both parties, and a sudden increase in the space between humanoid and daemon can result in shock, physical harm, or even death. As a general rule, in any daemonic humanoid race the two bodies can communicate both verbally and through rudimentary telepathically, sharing fully-developed sentences, brief mental images, concepts, emotions and more forms of psychic self-expression through their bond. Daemon-daemon communication is generally external, and relies on verbal language and body language. 

**Societal implications of daemons**

A daemon is often given a name separate from that of their primary humanoid body, and may be treated as a somewhat independent entity. The significance of a daemon varies from culture to culture; many races consider them to be spiritual manifestations or connections to deities. 

Many daemons reach a stage in their life when they assume a single static form and no longer change shapes. This is referred to as settling in Federation standard. Settling is a culturally significant event for many humanoid societies. Every daemonic culture the Federation has encountered thus far has marked settling as a rite of passage or coming of age event. The transition signifies different things for different societies, but examples include differentiating between adults and children, indicating what role the individual will take in their society, or what village responsibilities the newly settled person takes on. For most daemonic races, settling occurs during puberty and the development of the frontal lobe of the brain. See Figure 2 for a comparison of Human and Bajoran daemon settling ages. 

The form that a daemon takes is also highly significant as a general rule. In Bajoran, Human, Betazoid, and many other known daemonic humanoid cultures, it is believed that the form one’s daemon takes reveals the true nature of their self. In some other daemonic cultures, it is believed that the shape a daemon chooses tells their humanoid associate about their future, possibly a warning against another person or a suggestion for future successful opportunities. In still other cultures, the shape a daemon takes indicates into which social caste the humanoid should be sorted.

Humanoids have been projecting meaning onto their daemons’ forms and names since time immemorial. Surveys have indeed shown that many people with similar daemons - amphibians, mesopredators, fossorial herbivores etc - tend to have similar personalities, ambitions, and dreams in their lives. However, correlation does not mean causation and selection bias has caused many of these studies to come under scrutiny. Future research into the symbolism and significance of a daemon’s form is sorely needed. 

Interacting with daemons, for Officers from non-daemonic races

Despite the large body of anecdotal observations, very little objective research has been conducted on physical and social interactions between the daemons of daemonic races and non-daemonic humanoids. 

In all known daemonic races, the body of the daemon is of equal importance to the humanoid primary body. A Federation officer should never touch, inflict violence upon, or otherwise physically interact with a daemon unless explicitly invited by both the daemon and the humanoid. Under Federation guidelines a humanoid and their daemon are considered one being, but both bodies have autonomy and daemons should be given the same personal space as a humanoid. 

Cultural values regarding daemons vary greatly among daemonic races, but as a general rule humanoids only address other humanoids, and daemons only speak with other daemons. For a humanoid to speak directly to a daemon implies a degree of emotional intimacy, and if this is done by a stranger the level of offence varies from social faux pas to declaration of violence. To avoid unnecessary conflict, Starfleet protocol dictates that Officers from non-daemonic races do not speak to or interact with the daemons of any daemon-having races, unless explicitly invited to do so. 

It is worth noting that the daemons of many humanoids possess low-level empathic abilities. (This observation lends credence to the theory that daemons evolved into complex, expressive forms to facilitate social communication and group harmony.) Through spoken language, body language, physical and chemical communication, and often through simple touch, the daemons of many humanoids are able to share simple emotions and experiences with their other body, with more telepathically-adept species such as Betazoids potentially capable of much more nuanced psychic connections between daemons. 

To date, every daemonic culture encountered by the Federation has viewed uninvited physical contact with another humanoid’s daemon as violent assault or abuse. Many cultures consider unwanted daemon touching on par with unwanted sexual contact, or other forms of profoundly intimate violation. Consensual daemon contact is generally viewed as an intimate and private gesture, and social implications of such an act vary too greatly to be included in this summary. 

Regardless of social implications, the majority of daemonic races encountered by the Federation have described humanoid-daemon contact in very similar ways. One person touching another person’s daemon may receive a brief yet intense telepathic message or series of empathic emotions. Betazoid philosophers have described this experience as the sharing of a persons essence; to touch another person’s daemon is to interact with the basal foundation of who they are and how they feel. This sharing of information occurs regardless of the daemon’s physical state: unsettled and settled daemons respond in the same way. Young children with d-state daemons will often seek out human-daemon contact with a parental figure; it is not uncommon to see Human or Bajoran toddlers playing with or being carried by a mother or father’s s-state daemon, while their own haze of Rusakov particles buzzes around the both of them. 

When any race of conscious humanoid touches another humanoid’s daemon, the daemon and accompanying humanoid often experience involuntary physical or emotional responses. In humanoids associated symptoms can include increased heart rate and respiration, dizziness, nausea, and other symptoms of shock. Daemonic individuals that interact with or pursue relationships with single-bodied humanoids have also reported emotion-sharing and empathy on par with that of a daemonic human touching their daemon. Such reports indicate that, in the case of consensual daemon contact, the Rusakov particles present in the daemon interact with the Rusakov particles in the body of the physical humanoid. On a neurochemical level, physical contact between a daemon body and a non-daemonic humanoid is functionally identical to the same context with a daemonic humanoid. 

Additionally, interactions between the daemons of daemonic races and the physical bodies of non-daemonic races are poorly understood. It is believed that physical contact facilitates communication between the Rusakov particles of the daemons, and the Rusakov particles within the body and nervous system of the non-daemonic persons. Again, anecdotal evidence makes up the majority of Federation knowledge on these interactions; as most daemonic races consider the humanoid-daemon bond to be spiritual or sacred, few are willing to submit both their humanoid body and their daemon body to scientific study. 

**Interacting with other daemons, for officers from daemonic races.**

Do not assume that other daemonic cultures adhere to the same cultural norms and taboos as your own. The daemons of Starfleet officers are held to the same standards as their humanoid counterparts, and expected to behave as befitting any representative of the Federation. 

In many cultures, proper social etiquette includes communication between daemons. Starfleet decorum dictates that a daemon connected to an officer of any rank is expected to act as professionally as their humanoid counterpart, and while no daemon-specific protocols are actively enforced, daemons are held to the same standard as any other members of Starfleet. In many professional and political environments, daemons tend to not speak loudly or often, keep distracting behavior to a minimum, and only interact with other daemons when other friendly social behaviors are displayed, such as shaking hands, bowing, or saluting. 

Daemon communication is more permissible in casual social situations. The exact social implications of a daemon speaking directly to a different humanoid, or speaking to another daemon, or speaking to their own paired humanoid in public, vary across daemonic races. If an officer or officer’s daemon is addressed by another daemon in a way that seems culturally rude or inappropriate, first consider the other officer’s native culture and etiquette - the offense may not be intentional. 

**Summary**

Respect for all life and dignity for fellow humanoids are cornerstones of Federation culture, and these attitudes should extend to daemons. Although the physiology and ontogeny of Rusakov particles are not completely understood, daemons are a valuable component in the lives of many humanoids, and they should be treated with the same respect Starfleet shows for all living things. Future research may explain some of their mysteries, but as of this publication date the United Federation of Planets views daemons as an important heritage for many humanoids races.


End file.
